Photo Friday: Stepping out on the Ledge

A self-portrait stepping into one of the Ledge’s four glass boxes that extend 4.3 feet out from western hemisphere’s tallest building, 1,353 feet above Wacker Drive and the Chicago River.

Opened in 1974, the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) attracts 1.3 million annual visitors, drawn by the outstanding view of Chicago and four states. It is the world’s fifth-tallest building and — standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories –remains the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

Now, brave visitors to the Chicago Skydeck can step out into one of four glass boxes for unobstructed views of the Chicago streets below.

It takes courage to make the step — it’s an experience that’s both exhilarating and frightening.

Getting to the Skydeck

To get to the Willis Tower, I took the CTA Orange Line “L” train to the Quincy stop. Proceeded down the steps and then walked two blocks west to the Jackson Street entrance of the Willis Tower.

Adult entry is $15.95. The Chicago Skydeck is open 365 days per year, only closed for high winds (and Wednesday’s blizzard in Chicago.)